Stemmer for tobacco leaves



Aug. 27, 1940. G. w. GwrNN ET AL STEMMER FOR TOBACCO LEAVES Filed Sept. 5, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR` M fm WA ATTORNEY Aug- 27, l940- G. w. GwlNN E'r A1.

STEMMER FOR TOBACCO LEAVES 'Filed sept. 5, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Aug. 27, 1940.

G. w. cswlNN4 ET Al.

STEMMER FOR TOBACCO LEAVES Patented Aug. 27, 1940 N'fr r reis STEMMIER FOB, TBACCO LEAVES George W. Gwinn, Hewlett, N. if., and .lames W.

Leary, Bloomiield, N. J., assignors to lintertion oi. New Jersey Application September 22l Claims.

This invention relates totobacco `handling machines, and more particularly to machines for stemming tobacco leaves preparatory to the A fabrication of the tobacco into cigars, cigarettes `5` and other tobacco products.

The present invention relates to a stemming device operatingon the general principle of and constitutes improvements on the machine' disclosed fin co-pending application Ser. No. 48,353, filed in the United States Patent Office November 5,1935, by Wilhelm Bf. Bronander, and which has matured into Patent No. 2,165,217 dated July 11, 1939. However, the structure of the present invention embraces additional features for operating upon a leafprior tothe stemming operation whichgreatly increases its practicality and efficiency.

In stemming tobacco, one of the chief problems is to completely remove from the stems all of E() the web portions or laminae of each leaf, and

thereby eliminate any waste of the web portion. Y

The great variations in leaf structure in tobacco, especially in the several varieties of tobacco, the fact that leaves may become torn during curing 25 and packingand the `non-uniformity of stems of `individual leaves, add greatly to the necessity of producing a machine which will overcome all of these many defects, and handle and stem each leaf as if it were one of a homogeneous group. It 30:` is, therefore, the chief object of this invention to provide a machine which will more effectively stem tobacco than has been possible heretofore.

It is a further object to provide spaced cutting elements so formed `and positioned that they will yieldingly press against and follow the stem of a leaf being progressed past their cutting edges, and remove therefrom substantially all of the laminae thereof without cutting into said stem. Another object is to properly position and spread leaves and then maintain them under a constant tension as they are fed to the stemming mechanism. Thisl treatment Willtend to straighten out twisted leaves to a. greater extent bers either manually or automatically so that theends of stems may be readily introduced between 5535 said members for proper stemming,

"than heretofore and also to present straighter` national Cigar Machinery Company, a corpora- 5, 193e, serial No. 99,5741 (ci. isi-.123)

A further object of the invention is to provide mechanism for properly preparing leaves for stemming by positioning and spreading the web portions thereof prior tothe introduction of their stems between the cutting members.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of a suction support for leaves, and a pneumatic spreading devicenlocated above the support for spreading the laminae of leaves positioned on said support. The invention also contemplates the use of either stationary or movable spreading devices. A further object of the invention is to provide novel means for severing laminae from the stems of leaves and includes a flexible, disk cutting member which may be dished or flanged on its periphery. The cutting edge may have serrations formed thereon.

Anadded object is to provide a continuous stemming machine having means for continuously feeding leaves to stemming members and means for positioning said members so as not to interfere with the approaching feeding means.

A further object is to furnish rotary resilient disk cutting members rotating on inclined` axes for cutting laminae of leaves from their stems, and a device for supporting the tips of leaves against said cutting members.

An additional object is to provide flexible cutting members rotating on inclined axes for cutting laminae from stems oi leaves, auxiliary supporting means comprising a rotary device located adjacent said members and guide meansfordirecting the laininae away from said'members.

A further object is to provide a novel support for leaves` to be stemmed in which said support is provided with a centrall suction Vportion for holding leaves in position, and 4downwardly inclined sides upon which the web portions thereof may be spread. The invention also includes an extended leaf guide plate positioned adjacent the support over which leaves are fed to the stemming knives. i

With these and other objects not specifically mentioned in view, the invention consists ofthe novel construction and combinations set forth herebelow in the specification and disclosed in the drawings and in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a plan View of the improved stemming machine for tobacco leaves;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is a1 plan view showing the flexible stem? ming element in detail; l

` Fig. 4 is a partial sectional end elevation of the improved stemming machine, taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 1; n

Fig. 5 is a sectional side elevation of. a leaf-tip guiding and cutting device taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the same;

Fig. '7 is a side elevation of the improved stemming machine in a modified form equipped with an automatic leaf carrying device; Fig. 7a is a fragmentary detail view in vertical section, taken on the line fia-la of Fig. 7; and

Fig. 8 is an end elevation of the same taken on line 8 8 of Fig. 7.

The improved tobacco leaf stemming machine consists of a table l@ having mounted thereon a leaf support ii provided with a perforated center portion or plate l2, and sides inclining downwardly from plate l2 towards table lil, thereby providing means for easily positioning and spreading leaves. Beneath plate l2 is mounted a suction box which, by means of a funnel lf3 and a pipe l5, is connected to the suction inlet of a fan i6 supported by a shelf l'i of the vtable it). Perforated suction plate i2 also acts to firmly hold spread leaves as they are being stemmed, and furnishes a resistance against too rapid pulling through the stemming members. Because of the relatively constant tension in a given leaf stem while being progressed through the stemmers, the tendency is for crooked stems to straighten out. Fan l@ is driven by a pulley iii anda belt i9 running over a pulley 26 mounted on shaft 2l of a motor 2: also supported by and fastened to said shelf il. The leaf support ll is also equipped with a horizontally extended leaf guide plate 23 over which the leaf to be stemmed is fed into the iiexible stemming element, the plateZS being provided at its rear edges with wings 23a which slope downwardly along the sides of the support il. The stemming element consists of a pair of angularly arranged iiexible rotating, cutting disks 2li which may be formed of thin, spring steel or the like, each of which is mounted on a horizontal shaft 25.y The shafts 25 are rotatably supported in horizontal sleeves 2B, held by lugs 2i mounted on vertical shafts 28 supported in bearings ida of table lil. On the lower portion of each shaft 28 is nxed an arm 29, which arms are connected to.- gether by a link 3u. To one of the arms B9 is pivoted a connecting rod 3i which is attached `to one arm of a bell crank lever 3? pivoted to a stud 33 held by a bearing bracket 3d mounted onl table l@ so that when the lever 32 is moved disks 2d will likewise be moved to and from each other to allow stem ends to be brought between them for stemming purposes. The other arm of bell crank lever 32 is connected by a link 35 to a foot pedal 3f: pivoted to a supporting bracket 3l. The peripheral portion of each knife disk 2d is either dished or form/ed with a curve or iiange 3, the outer edge of which is provided with serrations 39. By means of this arrangement, the iiange portion 33 of disk 2li will allow the stems to be easily inserted between Vthe flexible blades and when the knives are brought together there will be little danger of their cutting into the stem sides. These blades, therefore, follow any curve or size of stem without danger of the serrations cutting into the same while separating the stem S lfrom the leaf L which is pulled through said knife disks 24 by an operator or mechanical means. Disks 241 are driven by means of their respective shafts 25, each of which carries a pulley operated through a belt il and a pulley 42 from a shaft 43 supported in bearing brackets 44 (Fig. 2) fastened to shelf Il. Shaft 43 is driven through a conventional pulley 88 (Fig. 8) and a belt 45 (Fig. 2) from a pulley 46 mounted on motor shaft 2l.

In order to assure that the leaf being stemmed is well open and flat while being pulled through the stemming mechanism, the stemming machine is provided with a leaf spreading device. The latter consists of a blower box 4l', the bottom of which is formed by a stem guide bar 48` provided with slots 49 and holes 5i! (Fig. 3) directing an air blast supplied to the blower box l towards the center portion of the leaf L. In order to obtain an emcient spreading. effect upon the leaf L, the air blast is then,directed from the center portion of the leaf to the outer edge of the same by means of a baille plate 5| attached to the lower portion of blower box 4l', this bale plate structure, as illustrated, preferably being formed pipe 5ft of said blower box is provided with a'colf lar 55 carrying a stud 56 (Figs. 1 and 2)v loosely engaging with and thereby pivotally supported from an arm 5i mounted on a shaft 58 supported by means of a bearing bracket 59 attached to table it. Arm 57 is provided with a lug 57a cooperating with an adjusting screw 51h mounted in table I i3` so that the position of box 41 may be readily adjusted to that desired. 'I'he shaft 58 furthermore carries a hand and operating lever Gt. Y

In operating the improved stemming machine, the operator first presseshan'd lever 39 in a downward direction, which causes the lifting of the spreading device. The leaf L to be stemmed is then placed upon the leaf support Il and held to the latter by means of the suction supplied through the perforated center plate I2. The operator then lowers the spreading device again, depresses foot pedal 35,;and, through link 35 and bell crank lever 32, causes the knife disks 24 to swing away from the center of the machine. The operator then adjusts the position of the leaf in such `a manner that the butt end of the stern partly extends from the guide plate 23 and, upon releasing foot pedal 36the curved portions 38 (see Fig. 3) may contact the sides of said stem as the disks come together again. A tension spring 6i pivoted to bell crank lever 32 and an chored to table l@ normally urges the spaced knife disks 2d as close together as possible, thus effecting a steady yielding contact of the flange portion 38 with the stem S whichis pulled by the operator through said stemming elements. The importance of the flange on the exible cutting members is at once evident when it is pointed out that it lets each blade hug each stem closely the operator, the two half leaf portions cut from said stem fall onto a chute plate 62 held by means ,of gude.,plate,23 and table lll.- `In order to prentin'juryto theoperator, Iapair ofstationary, s elding plat ls, mounted yon sleeves 2t, are provided.' `portion-ofthe -plate 62 below the .knives. 2 ll andshields is depressed to admit saine and permit rotation' thereof. A stop 'screw'lfadjustably held bymeans of lug t5 on table ,i isinstalledfor. the `purpose of preventing Ithe rotatingfknife disks Zi from contacting each ,1,0 er' after'.leafv andstem are pulled away from said stemming element', and also locates the cutting lmembers inlproper stemming relation. It is ,tobe noted that spring Si also functions to hold 't Iifie'mbe,rsl Vrli'yieldingly against the stop lili.

ll! "from another conventional pulley (not shown) ,nlshaft '113, Shaft it is supported by suitable I3,() bearing brackets 'l l` (Fig. 5) attached to the lower side yof guide platefZSon which also the two thin guideplates- Gi are'znfounted. s illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8, the improved tobacco leaf stemming machine may also be oper- 27.06.61 yirl conjunction withan automatic leaf carrylingdevi'zejf,The latter consists of a pair of spaced," continuously moving, endless conveyor l2 `which are supported over the entire `le gtli bf the machine vupon a pair of driving 40 4,sprockets 13 and a pair of idler sprockets 'irl (Fig. 7)." The latter are fixed to a shaft `'l5 loosely supported` in bearings in brackets l attached to table lil. Driving sprockets 'i3 are keyed to a shaft'll loosely supported in bearings in bracketsv 45 "lii'wh'ihare fastened to the delivery end of table lll.`Shaf`t .il is driven by means of a sprocket 'lgmlli'ig` 8)" actuated through a chain tt by a 'sprocket 31"(Fig. 'lymounted on a shaft it? eX- ftending from a reduction gear box t3 suitably 4to ps'itionea "beneath table' Shen it ung. '7). "l: 'Gearbox 33 is'actuated by means of ashaft St carryinguaspro-cket B5. which, through a chain tt,

is'j`drive1i bya sprocket El (Fig. 8) mounted on shaft The latter is driven through a pulley 55 38 andk beltsl5 from pulley i6 mounted on motor shaft 2i of motor 22. The two parallel mounted conveyor chains l2 are connected to each other by meansfof a numberof yproperly spaced horizontal bars'tii, each having pivoted thereon grippers ,so comprising apair `of gripper fingers Qt provided with'operating lugs' 9i and a pivoted roller 92 on each lug. The pairs of grippers 9i) are normally held 4closed by means of a compression spring 93 ,(iFfig., 8). In order to open said gripper ngers 65 for' the v'purpose of inserting the butt end of the stem Sbetween them at the feed end of the machine,` apair of cam bars 9 4 are placed in the path of rollers`92 which, upon making Contact ,withsaid'bars,` will cause the opening of said Q gripper lingers' and the butt end of a stem S of a tobacco leaf is placed between said open fingers bythe operator.v As soon as `rollers 92 disengage from barstijthe spring 93 between said fingers willicause the closing of thesame, thereby gripa Per. their@ @at ef Said ser @my and deg- `e tip vendl `of thestemis often very thin and shaft't driven by means of a pulley t@ and a belt ging the leaf `L to` be stemmed over the leaf support ll beneath the spreading device which spreads the leaf, and through the iiexible stemmingmeansdescribed previously. Bars S4 are attached to brackets i6. After the stemming .t5 operation is completed, the gripper lingers are automatically opened again at the delivery end of the machine and the stem S may be dropped in a suitable container (not shown). The opening of said gripper ngers at the delivery end of 10 the machine is accomplished in a similar fashion as at the feed end of the same. Rollers 92 for a short period, engage again with a pair of stationarycains 95, thus causing the ngers 9B to open and allowing the stem S to slip out and drop into a desired container. Of course, as soon as rollers 92 `disengage from cams 95, said gripper nngers will automatically close again and remain closed until they arrive at the feed end of lthe machine for a new cycle. Conveyor chains I2 20 carrying said gripper fingers 9i), travel continuously in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 7. Cams S5 are stationarily held by means .of a supporting bar 96 Yattached to brackets i8.

in order to prevent interference between the rotating cutting discs 24 and the continuously traveling gripper fingers 96, said cutting discs are swung away from each other and the center of the machine and out of the path of said gripper lingers upon approach ofl the same. said fingers have passed said discs, the latter immediately return and upon engaging with the stem S, commence their cutting action in the same manner as described heretofore, except that the leafjis steadily advanced by said gripper fingers @t and chains 'l2 instead of being pulled by the operator.

lThe automatic withdrawal of cutting discs 24, as a traveling gripper approaches, is achieved by means of a rotating cam el engaging with a 40 roller 98 pivoted to a cam lever 99 mounted on shaft 33d supported by a bearing bracket 34a. To shaft 33a is furthermore fastened a lever itl) to which is pivoted the connecting rod 3l operating, through arms 29, link 3] and vertical 45 shafts the knife shaft supporting lugs 2l acting in the same manner as achieved by operating the foot pedal 36 and manually separating the knives. inv order to assure a steady contact oi roller $23 with cam Q7, a tension spring Gia is 50 provided. Cam @l is mounted on a shaft lill supported in bearing bracket 78. Shaft lill is driven `in proper timed relation with conveyor drive shaft il' by means of a sprocket m2 and a chain its engaging with a sprocket 2M. The 55 latter is fastened to shaft 'il while sprocket lli? is mounted on shaft lill In this modied machine, the knife driving means as `well as the leaf supporting arrangement are of identically the same construction as in the first embodiment of the invention described, the leaf support ll being supplied with suction from the fan iii in the same vmanner as described in that construction. In order to kaccommodate the passing gripper lingers til, the blower box of the leaf spreading device in this modication is divided into two halves it@ (Fig. 7 and Fig. 7a.) which, in this case, are stationarily xed in proper position above support ll by means of arms m5 attached to table lll. Each half lli@ of the blower box is connected to the blower outlet 52 of fan it by means of a pipe ilif (Fig. 7). s

The various means and parts may be widely varied in construction within the scope of the claims for the particular device selectedto illus- As soon as 30 l ,combination with a pair of rotary,

trate theinvention is but one of many possible concrete embodiments of the same. The invention, therefore, is not to be restricted to the specic construction shown and described.

What is claimed is:

1. In a tobacco stemming machine, the combination with a pair of flexible cutting disks arranged to receive the stem of a tobacco leaf between them and cut the laminae therefrom as said leaf is moved past them, driving means for rotating said cutting disks to impart cutting movement to said disks, and a suction guide table upon which said leaf is spread and moved to said disks, said table having associated therewith means to support said disks with a yielding bias firmly toward contacting relation of the proximate faces of said disks with a stem inserted therebetween, while permitting free flexurev of the cutting edges of said disks to a position for severing the leaf portions progressively along their regions immediately adjoining the tapering stem, without cutting into said stem.

2. In a tobacco stemming machine, the combination with a pair of spaced cutting disks having their axes inclined towards each other, arranged to receive the stem of a tobacco leaf between them and cut the laminae therefrom as said leaf is progressed past their cutting edges, driving means for rotating said disks to impart thereto cutting movement, and a table upon which leaves are spread prior to their insertion between said disks.

3. In a tobacco leaf stemming machine, the flexible stemming disks having serrated cutting edges spaced to receive the stem of a leaf between them to shear the blade portions therefrom, driving means for imparting severing motion to said disks whereby the edges thereof sever the blade portions from the stem and a guide table upon which said leaves are spread out and positioned as they are inducted between said disks, said table having associated therewith means to support said disks with a yielding bias firmly toward contiguous relation of the proximate faces of said disks with a stem inserted therebetween, while permitting free iiexure of the cutting edges of said disks to a position for severing the leaf portions progressively along their regions immediately adjoining-the tapering stem, without cutting into said stem.

4. In a tobacco leaf stemming machine, :a suction leaf spreading table upon which a leaf to be stemmed is positioned and spread, a pair o-f nexible spaced, rotary, flanged cutting disks located adjacent said table and between which the stem of said leaf is moved, and by which they leaf blade portions are removed from the stern.

5. In a tobacco leaf stemming machine, a suction leaf positioning table upon which leaves to be stemmed are located, flexible resilient rotary cutting disks provided with curved cutting edges located adjacent said table and cooperating therewith, said disks being so constructed and arranged that when leaves are fed with the stern of each leaf passing between said disks the curved cutting edges yieldingly follow the stems by virtue of the inherent flexibility and resilience of the disks, and sever the laminae thereupon.

6. In a tobacco leaf stemming machine, a leaf positioning support, a pair of spaced flexible disks having cutting edges for closely following and separating the stems of leaves from the laminae thereof, means for rotating said disks whereby leaves passed between them have their members and means for laminae cut from said stems by said edges, said cutting edges being inclined relatively to the broad faces of said disks to promote lateral ilexure and avoid cutting into the stems.

7. A tobacco leaf stemming device comprising a leaf spreading table, a pair vof spaced flexible stemming members located adjacent said table, and means for forcing a blast under pressure divergently against the upper surface of a leaf positioned upon Said table to spread the same prior to the movement of said leaf between said members.

8. A tobacco leaf stemming device comrising a pneumatic leaf spreading table, a pair of spaced Y members biased to form a V-shaped cutting o,

opening, of a leaf positioning table adjacent said imparting cutting movement to said members whereby web portions of leaves are cut from the stems as said leaf is moved between said members, said members being provided with flanged cutting edges directed away from the stem being passed between said members to. prevent said edges from cutting said stem.

10. In a tobacco stemming machine, the combination with a pair of spaced stemming members comprising flexible rotary cutting disks mounted on inclined axes, of a feed support for leaves, means for rotating said disks to impart cutting movement thereto, and means for mounting said disks for yielding movement to and from each other.

1l. In a stemming mechanism for tobacco stemming machines, a plurality of rotary flexible stemming members for cutting the stems from leaves fed therebetween, guide means over which leaves are fed to said members, and auxiliary guides positioned closely adjacent said members for supporting each leaf tip portion against said members as it moves therebetween, said auxiliary guides being so disposed as to permit free lateral flexure of the cutting edges of said flexible rotary members to the extent induced by the contact of the cutting edges with the broad end of the stem.

12. In a stemming mechanism for tobacco stemming machines, a plurality of rotary flexible stemming members for cutting the stems from leaves fed therebetween, and support means for unstemmed parts of said leaves positioned closely adjacent said members for supporting said portions, said means comprising a pair of spaced guide plates and a rotatable disk cooperating therewith.

13. A cutting member for a tobacco stemming machine comprising a rotary flexible disk, said disk having a anged cutting edge which bears resiliently against the stem of a leaf being stemmed, said flange being outwardly curved away from said stem to prevent cutting into said `broad end of the stem.

16. In a tobacco leaf stemming machine, a table over which leaves are spread and fed, a pneumatic leaf spreading device located above said table adapted to direct air under pressure divergently against the upper surface of leaves to be spread, a pair of pivotally mounted flexible cutting members mounted adjacent said table for receiving leaves fed from said table, and means for4 imparting cutting movement to said members whereby the web portions of leaves are cut from said stems as the stems of said leaves are progressed between said members, said cutting members being disposed in close juxtaposition directly opposite to each other.

` 17. In a tobacco stemming machine, a leaf positioning table having downwardly inclined sides over which the laminae of leaves may be spread, means for directing a spreading blast i divergently against the upper surface of a leaf on said table, a plurality vof spaced endless flexible stemming members provided with cutting edges, and means for driving said members stemming members being constructed and arranged to flex freely at their cutting edges tocincline the said edges relatively to the broad faces of the stemming members.

19. In a tobacco leafstemming mechanism, a plurality of spaced stemming members, comprising rotary disks spaced from each other and mounted on inclined axes, a leaf support, and means for rotating said disks to impart cutting movement thereto, as the stems of 'leaves are fed therebetween for severing the laminae therefrom.

20. The combination with a pneumatic tobacco leaf positioning table, of means for drawing unstemmed leaves successively butt first, over said pneumatic table, a pneumatic leaf spreading means positioned above said table for simultaneously directing a blast under pressure from the stem portion divergently toward either edgey portion of the upper surface of a leaf drawn over said table to spread said leaf, and mechanism for supplying gaseous fluid power for operating said table and means.

2l. In a tobacco leaf spreading mechanism, a suction table for leaves to be spread,` devices for drawing unstemmed leaves successively butt rst over said suction table while under the influence of suction applied through said table, a pneumatic leaf spreading means located above said table for simultaneously directing a blast of air under pressure from the stem portion divergently toward either edge portion of the upper surface of a leaf being drawn over said table, said means being provided with a plurality of openings through which said blast is ejected, and a source of supply of suction and compressed air for said table and means.

22. In a tobacco leaf spreading device, the combination with a leaf feeding and spreading table, of a pneumatic leaf spreading means located above the table and from which air is ejected under pressure, said spreading means including baffles for directing air from said spreader against the stem portion of the leaf on said table divergently therefrom toward either edge of the leaf to spread said leaf, and means for forcing air through said mechanism, said baffles having flat surfaces overlying and extending laterally to either side of the stem portion of .a leaf fed over said table and acting to confine the air under pressure close to the surface of the leaves while permitting the air to spread out laterally over the leaf.

GEORGE W. GWIN'N.

JAMES W. LEARY. 

